The Journey Through Pallet & Beyond
by ThatOneEpicGinge
Summary: It's the start of something wonderful. Join Ash Ketchum and his friends on the greatest adventure of a lifetime. With Leaf Green, Ash's childhood friend by his side, there is nothing he can't acomplish! With a different starter, Ash is sure to take the world by storm. (AshxLeaf Futhershipping. Douche Gary. AU with a smarter, more mature Ash.)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Whaaat? A new story? Haha, bet you guys didn't expect this huh? So yes, in the newest chapter of my other story, I was talking about maybe doing a new story relatively soon. After my abysmal start here at Fanfiction with my first story (which I deleted) I didn't really want to write another one. After seeing how popular Betrayal At Its Worst was with everyone, I wanted to spend all of my available time with writing chapters for that story. Although after thinking for the past few days, I decided to write another story. I've noticed that most writers usually write more than one story here on Fanfiction and I feel like I've been holding back on everyone. So, on with the main idea of the story**

 **Ash Ketchum and Leaf Green have been best friends for many years now. They met each other in Oak's Summer Camp while Gary was bullying her. Since Ash doesn't like seeing anyone hurt, he decided to step in and on that day, the two of them became inseparable. With a more mature and smart Ash, he won't be messing up so much on his journey. Trainers have to be at the age of 15 before they can start on their Pokémon journey. Because of too many accidents happening, the Pokémon League decided that trainers had to be more mature and older to ensure that they can protect themselves and know everything they need before starting.**

 **So, that's the basic premise of the story. If you haven't realised already, this is going to be a Furthershipping story. There will likely be sequels later on too. Also, unlike a lot of other stories that have Ash and one of his female friends starting out from Kanto together, the relationship is already there... Kind of. Don't worry; the romance won't be here immediately, although I won't wait until the last story for that. So, on with the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Although I own the story itself along with my own OC's, everything about the Pokémon franchise itself belongs to Nintendo. In no way, shape, or form am I writing this story to make money or claim Pokémon as my own. Everything within the Pokémon universe belongs to Nintendo.**

* * *

 **Normal POV - Pallet Town:**

Pallet Town was a beautiful and peaceful town. The townsfolk tended to be kind and helpful to any and all passing travellers. Since it was a relatively secluded town, with no Gym trainers didn't usually come to the town. Although, there was one area that was known to almost every trainer in Kanto. And that was Professor Oak's Laboratory. Professor Oak was a kind, greying old man. His work and dedication would make most trainers believe him to be younger than he actually is. It is in Oak's lab that we see a young boy and girl. While the girl was playing with all of the different Pokémon on the ranch, the young boy watched with a small smile on his face. These two were Ash Ketchum and Leaf Green, best friends. Currently, they were at the age of 15 and were nearly ready to get their very own Pokémon!

"Ash~" Leaf called in a sing-song voice, catching the young boys attention.

"What's up Leaf?" Ash called back, making her run over to him. Leaf was an energetic young girl; being at the young age of 15 would do that after all. Although, Leaf didn't exactly have a great life growing up in Pallet Town. Ever since she could remember, a lot of the kids never wanted to play with her. She had moved to Pallet Town when she was only 5 years old with her best friend, Serena Gabena. Being the 'new kid' in town along with enjoying to read, a lot of the kids didn't want to play with her. And then, at the age of 7, she was bullied mercilessly at the Summer Camp. Luckily, Ash was there. Her knight in shining armour. Although she would never admit it herself, she's had a crush on Ash ever since he saved her from Gary Oak and his group. Ever since then, the two of them were inseparable. You could always see them playing in Pallet Town and having fun together. Many people joked that they were like a young version of Red and Delia Ketchum.

"Come on, let's play." Ash would never admit it to anyone, but Leaf's voice always soothes his heart and put's a smile on his face. Ash looked at Leaf more closely, realising that she just got more beautiful every day. Leaf was at the rather petite size of 5"3', although that simply made her even cuter to Ash. With long, flowing light-brown hair and beautiful blue eyes that always expressed such happiness, Leaf was the literal vision of beauty, to Ash at least. Even if certain people didn't think so, namely Gary Oak. Although it wasn't her physical looks that really attracted Ash. It was her inner beauty, her wonderful personality. Leaf was kind to everyone, even those who weren't particularly kind to her. Although, with people like Gary or those who went too far, she was a little spit-fire. She didn't take kindly to people who made fun of her excessively, along with those who smack-talked Ash.

"Sure Leaf. What do you wanna play?" Although Ash was generally mature, he still let some of his more childish self out when around Leaf and his parent's. When he was around Gary or other people he didn't know, he tended to show little emotion. It was simply a way to better protect Leaf and himself.

"Let's go play with the Grass type Pokémon. They're my favourite." Leaf said giddily, causing Ash to smile lightly. Play wasn't really the correct word, they were the age of 15 after all. Although, Ash could probably study the Pokémon. Considering they were going to be starting their journey tomorrow, a little bit of extra studying wouldn't hurt.

"Sure. It would be good to study some of the Grass types." Ash said, causing Leaf to smile lightly. With Leaf already deciding to have Bulbasaur as her starter, she was trying to learn as much as she could before she left.

Ash though, already had his starter for tomorrow. Since a lot of trainers don't live in Pallet Town and are unable to choose Bulbasaur; Charmander or Squirtle, the League decided to allow trainers to choose their own starter. Even though many people would love to have one of the 3 starters, Ash didn't. He had caught and befriended quite a special Pokémon a few years back. Luckily, Professor Oak learned about this and allowed Ash a Pokeball so he could catch said Pokémon. Ash though, wanted to keep it a secret from the other trainers starting tomorrow. When this was said, Oak simply decided to let him choose one of the three starters too. Since there weren't rules against already catching Pokémon before the trainer started their journey, Professor Oak was fine with it.

"You're a bright young lad Ash." Oak had said during their conversation, causing Ash to flush slightly from the praise. "You can interact with Pokémon unlike many others. I know that you're going to go far. I just wish Gary could let his arrogance go. He would be a wonderful rival for you, and you both would grow from it." Oak said with a sad sigh.

After that conversation, Ash realised that Gary wasn't only hurting Leaf, he was hurting his own family. Ash could see as plain as day that Gary's own grandfather was disappointed in him. On that day, Ash decided that he would help the Professor like he had helped himself. So, with this in mind, Ash decided that he should defeat Gary in battle. If Gary loved anything, it was Pokémon battling. If only he could get his ego sorted out like the Professor said, he would be a great battler and friendly rival.

After a fun day for the two teens, they travelled back home, tired but happy. With the two of them knowing what was going to be happening tomorrow, they knew sleep was going to be a hard thing to come by. With the addition of starting their Pokémon journey, the thought of travelling together was exciting, yet also quite nerve-wracking.

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow Ash. Good night~" Leaf said as she walked away to her own house. Luckily for the two of them, Pallet Town was quite small, so they lived close to each other.

"See ya tomorrow Leaf!" Ash called, waving his hand. Leaf looked back with a small smile while waving herself before continuing. Ash continued watching until she got into her house before going to the kitchen. There, he saw his mother and father(1) sitting around the table and having some coffee and talking with each other. Upon seeing Ash there, his father immediately stood up with a smile.

"Here's the new Pokémon trainer." He said in a slightly booming voice. Although Red Ketchum was usually quiet and reserved, around family and friends was when he showed his true personality. He was a great father through and through, although in a battle, he completely decimated his opponents. "Ahh, you been hanging out with Leaf again huh? Well, you've got better luck with the ladies than I did at your age." Red said with a small wiggle of his eyebrows. It was quite amusing to see such a tall and strong looking man teasing his son about girls.

"Dear leave him alone. I think they're absolutely adorable together." Delia said with a small smile. Delia Ketchum, like Leaf, was a rather petite woman. Although, unlike Leaf, Delia didn't mind putting people in their place if they're harming her family. Ash blushed at the banter, before sitting down at the table. Red immediately handed Ash his own cup of tea, before sitting down himself.

"We were studying the Grass type Pokémon again today. Leaf wants to learn everything she can before we head off." Ash said with a small smile.

"Good, it's always a smart idea to get a bit of extra studying in before anything. I just wish I studied a bit more before heading off on my own journey. Using a Charmander against the Pewter City Gym leader wasn't exactly smart." Red said with a small chuckle. It was always great to hear about Red's own adventures through the Kanto region. They were usually amazing and had lots of action; although sometimes it was good to hear about the funnier instances as well.

"Haha, don't worry dad, I won't do anything like that. My starter has an advantage against Rock/Ground type Pokémon." Ash said with a proud smile. Even though he couldn't start his own journey yet, the wild Pokémon around Pallet Town still gave some good experience. It was always best to be as ready as possible before heading out and with the moves his Pokémon had, it would be relatively easy to get to Viridian City.

"That little Pokémon sure packs a punch. When it evolves, you're bound to have a great powerhouse on your team." Red said with a proud smile. Ash blushed slightly at the praise. Being the previous Champion of Kanto, it was always amazing to have Red tell you your Pokémon are good.

"That reminds me, I haven't let him out of the Pokeball today. Come on out." Ash said, holding the Pokeball in his hand and releasing the Pokémon. Out came a small Pokémon with yellow skin and a red belly. It was looked to have rocky skin with a small, blunt spike protruding from its head. This Pokémon was a Larvitar. It was a special Larvitar though. This was what the Pokémon professors dubbed a 'Shiny Pokémon'. The rarity of these Pokémon were quite phenomenal and it was even harder to find a shiny Larvitar.

"Hey buddy. Sorry I didn't let you out today. Leaf was studying the Grass Pokémon and I thought it would bore you." Ash said, patting its head lightly. From his research, Ash knew that as long as you were careful when touching a Larvitar, its rough skin wouldn't actually hurt or damage you.

"Lar!" Larvitar cried happily, enjoying the attention it was being given.

"Oh, he's such a cutie." Delia squealed quietly. Ash and Red looked at her in amusement before Red turned back to Ash, a serious look on his face now. Upon seeing the look, Ash tilted his curiously.

"Son." Red said, catching Delia's attention as well. "You and Leaf are really mature. You know everything you need to about Pokémon to start your journey. But I want you to be careful. Watch out for each other and if you meet up with your other friends who are starting their journey tomorrow, make sure to always check up on them. The Pokémon world is rather fragile at the moment, with a lot of wild Pokémon being more aggressive lately. If you ever need help or advice, don't hesitate to call us." Red said quietly, putting a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Yes hon." Delia said, catching their attention. "If either you or Leaf ever need help, we'll be happy to give you advice or help in anything you need. You two are very mature and like your father said, you know what you need to know about Pokémon. Leaf's parents are sure to be having the same conversation with her. Don't hesitate to call Sarah and her husband if you need help too." Ash smiled slightly and nodded at them. He knew Leaf's parents, they were great people and really kind.

"Also." Delia said, stopping his musings. "I don't want to see any grandchildren yet. Maybe a few more years, okay?" She said with a sly grin and a wink. Ash immediately blushed and quickly ran from the room, muttering about crazy parents. Delia and Red immediately burst out laughing; their son and Leaf sure were adorable to tease.

Ash knew he was going to have problems sleeping tonight. Upon getting into bed and trying to sleep, he kept tossing and turning. The thought of starting his own Pokémon journey tomorrow was keeping him awake.

"Ugh, I'm too excited to sleep." Ash muttered to himself. He couldn't watch TV either, since his parents were asleep now too. So, rather than watch TV, he decided to play with Larvitar for a while.

"Hey bud." Ash called, making his Pokémon sit up. "You excited for tomorrow?" Ash asked, causing Larvitar to nod excitedly. Ash wasn't the only one excited to start his journey; the thought of getting stronger and one day evolving was amazing to Larvitar. The thought of being a big Tyranitar made the little Pokémon hop up and down in excitement.

"Shh." Ash said quietly, causing the Pokémon to stop and sit on the floor. "You can't jump around; it'll make too much noise." Ash said with a small chuckle, causing Larvitar to nod sheepishly.

"Lar." Larvitar said in a whisper, apologizing.

"Don't worry about it buddy. I feel like jumping up and down myself." Ash said, his thoughts going inwards. Winning against Gary, to finally show him some humility. Battling all of the Gym leaders and winning easily. Going to the Pokémon League. Winning against all of the other trainers. Beating the Elite Four and Champion like his father had. Travelling with Leaf on many journeys to come. All of these thoughts were what Ash wanted the most. To show the world that he is a great trainer. Although, he knew Leaf would be battling in the Pokémon League as well. Ash didn't know if he had the heart to actually defeat Leaf.

"Larvitar!" He was broken out of his thoughts by Larvitar crying its name quietly and tapping his leg.

"What's up?" Ash asked, patting his Pokémon's head. Larvitar simply pointed towards the alarm clock and then his bed. Ash chuckled slightly, getting back into bed. Larvitar nodded to itself before going to its own bed. Ash couldn't help but laugh at the Pokémon's antics as it simply gave him a thumbs up before lying back down. Like with Leaf, Ash and Larvitar were inseparable. Although to Ash, while he did realise he liked Leaf in a more romantic way, Larvitar was essentially his best friend. If he wasn't with Leaf, Ash was always seen with the little Pokémon. Gary tended to be a complete idiot though, declaring that a 'second rate trainer' like Ash shouldn't have such a rare Pokémon.

"Ugh, he's so annoying lately. I can still remember the time Leaf and I became friends." Ash said with a small smile on his face.

* * *

-FLASHBACK-

"Haha, you're pathetic. Why can't you stand up for yourself? Too scared?" Gary asked mockingly. He and his group of 'thugs' had cornered Leaf on her way back to their camp during the Pokémon Summer Camp. It was unknown to most of the kids why Gary picked on her so much; probably the fact that she was the smallest and tended to stay out of conflict.

"I want to be friends with everyone. I've never done or said anything to you. Why d-do you do this G-Gary?" Leaf asked quietly, holding back her tears. She wouldn't cry in front of people like this. They didn't deserve to see her sad. She did in fact have friends here in Pallet Town, but Gary made people stay away. He constantly berated people who tried to be nice to her. Professor Oak, Gary's own grandfather was getting sick of it, like many others. He had to constantly pull Gary away to stop him from being verbal with Leaf. When Leaf thought of her friends, she also thought of Ash. Ash and Serena were the only people who stuck up for her and stopped Gary. Leaf had only known Leaf for a short time, but he was so nice to her. 'Please Ash' Leaf thought to herself. 'I need help!' She cried in her mind.

"Oy! Gary!" Ash shouted, causing Gary and his friends to turn. Leaf also turned to see Ash standing there, giving Gary a rather heated glare.

"Go away Ashy-boy. The bookworm needs to learn her place." Gary said imperiously, causing Leaf to grind her teeth. Leaf was generally a kind person, able to make friends with people and Pokémon alike. With people like Gary though, she couldn't help but hate him. Hate may be a strong word, especially for Leaf, but she was sick of Gary.

"Shut up. Leaf has done nothing to you. Why do you pick on her so much?" Ash asked heatedly, causing Leaf to hide a smile. Even though Leaf wished she could fight her own battles, it was kinda cute to see Ash standing up for all of his friends. Ash himself was generally a soft spoken, kind person(2) but he hated bullies with a passion.

"She's a bookworm." Gary said, as if that meant everything he was doing was for the better of the world. Leaf herself face-faulted at this. Even though Gary said it many times before, it was always completely ridiculous. Ash himself looked at Gary like he was a complete idiot.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ash asked with slightly wide eyes incredulously. Gary looked at Ash like he was an idiot too, making Leaf growl slightly in her throat.

"Eh? She's a bookworm, that's all that matters." Gary said simply.

"So? Just because she doesn't like the same things you do doesn't make her less of a person. I like books as well but you don't come after me. From memory, whenever you tried to insult me, you were on the other side of the room. Is it because Leaf is a girl and smaller than you? How about you pick on someone your own size." Leaf gasped slightly, looking thankfully at Ash. He really knew how to make whatever Gary said seem completely ridiculous.

"Pfft, whatever. Let's go guys, I don't want to catch the bookworm disease from these two." Gary said, walking away with a strut. "Oh." Gary said, turning around. "You're an enemy too now Ashy-boy. Watch out, for when we start our Pokémon journey, I'm going to win against you in everything." With his little 'speech' done, Gary strode off, his little gang following behind.

Leaf sighed softly to herself, glad he was finally gone. She was really getting sick and tired of constantly dealing with him.

"Hey Leaf, you okay?" Leaf looked up, seeing Ash's kind brown-eyes looking back at her. He had crouched down, checking to make sure she wasn't actually hurt. Upon seeing his worried face, Leaf just broke down. Throwing her arms around his neck, surprising him, she started crying lightly.

"W-why does G-Gary always do this? What have I ever done to h-him?" Leaf sniffled, making Ash look around in panic. Like many young boys, he didn't really have any clue on how to comfort a crying girl.

"D-don't worry Leaf." Ash stuttered slightly, rubbing her back. "Don't listen to Gary. You have friends who really care about you. Gary only has a few friends and they're only there because he is Professor Oak's grandson." Ash said quietly. After recovering her composure, Leaf looked at Ash thankfully. He looked pretty bashful right now, rubbing the back of his head with an infectious grin. Leaf giggled quietly to herself.

"Thank you Ash." She said quietly, giving him a small peck on the cheek. He looked shocked, with a small blush adorning his face. Leaf couldn't help but giggle again, quickly standing. "Come on Ash." She said, holding out her hand to help him up. "Let's go back to camp." Without realising it, the two walked back to camp, hand in hand. And on that day, a wonderful friendship was born.

-FLASHBACK END-

* * *

When the short but sweet memory ended, Ash realised that he was tired now. Thinking about all of the friends he actually made on that day, including Leaf herself, Serena, Calem and Yellow. Serena and Calem were twins, along with the oldest of their small group. Yellow was a rather timid girl that didn't usually dress up too 'girly'. Dresses, to her, were completely repugnant and she refused to wear one. With Ash and the others, that made 5 new trainers starting tomorrow. Gary was going to be going his own way, with his 'friends' deciding to not go on a journey. That didn't bother Gary though, considering he somehow had his own car and little 'cheerleading squad'.

"Heh, he wishes." Ash said quietly to himself. Now that he was finally tired, he was able to fall asleep, a smile on his face thinking about all of his wonderful friends, with Leaf starring the most in his thoughts.

* * *

 **Next Morning:**

Ash woke up the next morning, the alarm clock playing a hit song in the Kanto region. With his mind finally catching up and realising what today was, he immediately flew out of bed, rushing to the bathroom. Red watched Ash go; chuckling to himself as he remembered he did something like that on the first day of his own Pokémon journey. Walking sedately downstairs, Red found Delia in the kitchen, making breakfast along with some tea. Red sat down at the table, reading the newspaper and drinking his coffee.

"Is Ash awake yet, dear?" Delia asked, causing Red to look up with a small smile.

"Yeah, the exact same way as I did on my first day as a Pokémon trainer." Red said with a small chuckle, causing Delia to smile. She turned back to the food, frowning slightly though. With the current state the wild Pokémon were in for unknown reasons, it was quite scary to think of Ash and Leaf going out into the world on their own. Red apparently saw the frown though, as he put the paper down and looked at her with a gentle smile.

"Don't worry honey. Ash is a very capable trainer and he can easily protect himself and Leaf. With not only their own Pokémon, they do know some fighting techniques themselves(3)." Red said with a small smile. Delia smile back for a second before seemingly going into thought.

"I know Red. But it's a bit scary. They're still only children to me. They've just grown up so fast." Delia said, letting a small tear escape. Red was about to continue before he was interrupted.

"Don't worry mom." Ash said, walking in the room. He gave his mother a hug, causing her to smile slightly. "We wouldn't have went if we weren't ready. We'll be sure to call you guys whenever we get in a new town. We both have a Pokegear too, so we can call you if there's an emergency. We'll be fine and we'll be back before you even know it." Ash said with a smile and thumbs up. Delia giggled to herself lightly, bringing him into a crushing hug.

"Thank you Ashy. You always know how to ease my heart from the worry you can cause it." Delia said jokingly, causing Ash and Red to grin.

"Just keep ding that son. You'll have Leaf as your girlfriend in no time with all that sweet talk." Red said with his own grin and thumbs up. Delia giggled to herself as Ash flushed in embarrassment, glaring at Red.

"She's not my girlfriend." Ash said with a put, causing Red to laugh.

"Ahh, not yet. But soon maybe." Red said with a wink, causing Ash to groan and lower his head into his hands.

"Okay enough teasing. Let's have breakfast and then you can go to the lab." Delia said brightly, causing father and son to smile at each other. Just as they were about to start eating, there was a knock on the door.

"Hmm, wonder who that could be." Red said curiously, rising from the table. He quickly walked out the kitchen, towards the front door. There was some quiet talking before Red came back through with three people.

"Oh, Mr and Mrs Green, it's nice to see you again. Hey Leaf." Ash said with a smile.

"Ashy~" Leaf chirped, throwing her arms around his neck. "We're starting our journey today! Aren't you excited?" Leaf said, bouncing up and down slightly. The adults laughed at her enthusiasm while Ash grinned back.

"Yeah. You wanna stay for breakfast then we can all go to the lab together?" Ash asked, looking at his mother for conformation.

"Really? Could stay Mrs. Ketchum?" Leaf asked brightly, causing Delia to smile.

"Of course dear. Also, what did I tell you about calling me Mrs. Ketchum? It makes me feel old. Friends can call me Delia." Delia said with a gentle smile, causing Leaf to grin sheepishly.

Upon finishing a nice and relaxed breakfast, the group headed out. With Leaf and Ash in front, holding hands without even realising it (again!), the group headed towards Professor Oak's laboratory. Soon enough, they were there, passing the few citizens of Pallet on the way there.

"Yo Ashy-boy, Leaf." Gary called, walking towards them. Luckily, Gary had mellowed out as he aged and wasn't like what he used to be. He still had his 'quirks' but he was much more tolerable to handle now. The group gave their own greetings, with Mr. Green giving Gary a slightly heated look. Gary's change in personality was slightly due to Andrew Green having a talk with Gary's grandfather. After that, Gary targeted less people and wasn't much of a bully anymore. He was a rival for Ash and his friends, but not exactly a friendly rival.

Soon, the last of the trainers were there, with Serena and Calem giving enthusiastic greetings to Ash and Leaf, while Yellow simply smiled and gave a quiet hello. The group didn't really understand why Yellow didn't want to be seen as 'girly' but she would never talk about it. The group also decided to not bring it up, since it was a sore subject for the poor girl and she was already shy and timid enough.

"Ah, hello everyone." Professor Oak called, catching everyone's attention. The huge group looked towards where his voice came from, seeing him standing near the door straight to the lab. "Right this way. Do the adults want to come with the kids as well? Or would all like to wait out here?" Oak asked, with only Red and Andrew deciding to follow.

Since the teens were excited, it didn't take long for them to be standing in front of the table holding 6 Pokeballs.

"Okay everyone." Oak said, getting their attention. "Since there are six of you, we needed extra starter Pokémon. So, I know that Leaf wants Bulbasaur, Gary wants Squirtle, while Calem wants Charmander. Are you three okay with that?" Oak asked, referring to Ash, Serena and Yellow. The three simply smiled, indicating they were fine with it. "Okay excellent. So, would you three like to come forward and meet you starters?" Oak asked the other three, causing them to nod enthusiastically. Without further ado, they quickly stepped forward picking up the Pokeball with the correct symbol.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Leaf called, releasing her new Pokémon. Upon seeing the small plant Pokémon, Leaf started cooing about how adorable it was. Ash couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes.

"Go Charmander." Calem called, more quietly than Leaf had. Out came a rather strong looking Charmander, considering its level. Upon seeing its new trainer, Charmander immediately rushed towards Calem, jumping into his arms. Calem smiled slightly at his new Pokémon before his eyes turned towards Gary.

"Okay, Go Squirtle!" Gary called, releasing the small water turtle. Funnily enough, the Squirtle came out the Pokeball in a show of light with a small, arrogant smile on its face. Upon seeing the look, the others couldn't help but think the Pokémon was perfect for its trainer. "Yes, this'll do nicely. Welcome to the team Squirtle. We're gonna totally beat everyone." Gary said with his own arrogant smirk. Without saying anything else, he quickly walked out of the lab. The others watched him go in mild exasperation before turning back to the table.

"Serena, you and Yellow can choose. Since I already have Larvitar, I don't mind picking the last Pokémon." Ash said with a small smile, causing the two girls to smile brightly and thank him.

"Which Pokémon are left professor?" Yellow asked quietly, indicating towards the remaining Pokeballs. With a small smile, Oak pointed at each Pokeball while stating which Pokémon was in it.

"Well, this one is a Fennekin. I got it specially ordered from Kalos as I knew how much Serena like this Pokémon." Oak said with a small smile towards the girl. Upon hearing the name, Serena's eyes widened.

"Could I have that one Ash, Yellow?" Serena begged, with the other two merely smiling and nodding. With a grin, Serena quickly picked the Pokeball up. "Fennekin, let's go!" Serena shouted in excitement, with the small Pokémon appearing with a happy yip. Upon seeing its new trainer, like Charmander did with Calem, it rushed towards Serena, jumping into her arms. "Aww, aren't you just the cutest." Serena cooed, making Calem facepalm at his sister. The others chuckled at this.

"Okay, these last two Pokémon are Pikachu. One is male and the other is female." Oak said, with Yellow immediately choosing the female one.

"Okay. Come one out ChuChu!" Yellow called, with the small yellow mouse appearing with an adorable little "Pika!" Yellow, like the two girls, immediately started cooing over Pikachu, with 'ChuChu' soaking up the attention. The others smiled at the two as Ash turned to the last Pokeball.

"Okay guess it's my turn." Ash said. "Go!"

"Wait Ash!" Oak called in a slight panic, although it was already too late.

"Pikachu!" The yellow mouse appeared in a spark of electricity, shocking both Ash and Professor Oak in the process. The others looked at the two worriedly, none more so than Leaf.

"Ash! Professor Oak!" She called, quickly rushing towards them, Bulbasaur still in her arms.

"I forgot to tell you Ash." The professor coughed slightly as Leaf helped Ash up. Andrew and Red rushed to help Oak up as well. "This Pikachu can be a bit disobedient. This is why I thought you were the perfect choice for him. He's not a bad Pokémon, he just hasn't found the right trainer yet." Oak said in slight exasperation.

"Hmm." Ash hummed to himself, walking slowly towards Pikachu. He knew that with new Pokémon, especially disobedient ones, which you had to be careful and go slowly, so as not to spook them. He crouched down to Pikachu's level, causing the mouse Pokémon to look at him curiously with a cute tilt of its head. "Hey there Pikachu, I'm Ash. I know that you may not like being caught, but the whole world is a great place to explore. With a trainer, you could go on wonderful adventures and grow strong." Ash said quietly, holding his hand out. Pikachu looked a bit conflicted, probably unable to trust humans but seeing no malice from Ash or his actions.

"Pika." Pikachu said quietly, looking around at the other people apprehensively. Ash seemed to catch the look as he smiled gently

"Don't worry, Pikachu, no one's here to hurt. We just wanna be friends." Ash said with a kind smile. Seeing the smile, Pikachu seemed to make its mind up. It quickly rushed towards Ash, rubbing its cheek against his hand. Ash smiled before standing slowly. "Okay, welcome to the team then Pikachu. You wanna go back into the Pokeball? That was quite a big jolt of electricity you made." Ash said, holding the Pokeball out. Pikachu, upon seeing the infernal contraption shook its head quickly in a negative.

"Ah yes, this Pikachu is rather curious. He doesn't like staying in a Pokeball." Oak said, causing Ash to smile at the Pokémon.

"Don't worry, you can stay out. How will we get around like this though?" Ash asked, thinking hard about it. As soon as he looked at Red though, he suddenly had a eureka moment. "I know!" Ash called, catching the others attention. "Pikachu, you could ride on my shoulder. My dad's Pikachu used to do it all the time." Ash said with a smile, causing Pikachu to quickly nod with its own smile. Surprising the others with its speed, Pikachu rushed up and sat on Ash's shoulder.

"Haha, what did I tell you son? Spitting image of your old man." Red said with a small smile, ruffling Ash's hair. Ash merely smiled while Oak clapped his hands together.

"Excellent. You have quite a way with Pokémon Ash. How is it you get their trust so easily? Anyway, that's far from the point. So, here are 5 Pokeballs for you all, along with the newest version of the Pokedex. Luckily, Gary already collected his last night so he's fine. Anyway, I wish you all the best of luck in the Indigo League or what you will be doing. I can already tell you will all make Pallet Town proud." With that said, Oak quickly walked back towards his desk, working on some paperwork for the league.

"Okay, great! We've finally got our own Pokémon. Serena, Yellow and I will be travelling together. Hope to see you on the road, Ash, Leaf." Calem said, giving Leaf a quick hug and shaking Ash's hand. Serena and Yellow, though, were much more enthusiastic in their goodbyes, pulling Ash and Leaf into a four-way hug. To Red, this was the perfect time to tease the four of them.

"Oh, look at my Ash. My son is all grown up. You're a hit with the ladies, huh Ash?" Red asked with a smirk, causing Ash and Leaf to blush, while Serena and Yellow merely smiled, saying their goodbyes as they walked out of the lab.

"Oh well, looks like it's time we headed out too, huh Leaf?" Ash asked with a small smile, causing her to nod.

"Yep, we'll be the greatest Pokémon trainers ever. Pokémon League, here we come." Leaf said excitedly, pumping her fist. With a smile between the two of them, Ash and Leaf quickly rushed out, saying goodbye to their mothers as they finally set out on their journey. Red and Andrew watched them go, smiling slightly,

"They group up fast, huh bud?" Red asked, with Andrew giving a brief nod as the two headed towards their wives.

"Oh well, they'll make us proud." Andrew said, watching the kids running in the distance.

* * *

 **AN: And that's a wrap! So, finally finished the first chapter of my new story! I hope everyone enjoyed it. Be sure to see the next chapter for Betrayal At Its Worst next Monday and the new chapter for this story next Thursday. So, that's all I have to really say for this AN; see you guys next time!**

 **(1) I decided to make the story more happy and light-hearted than my other one. So, I decided that Ash's father was alive and there for him. Also, I have saw many stories have Red as Ash's father and the idea simply resonates with me. So, I hope you guys enjoy that little bit.**

 **(2) I know that canon Ash is quite loud and abrasive, but I decided that since this one is older, he will be more mature. Also, since like with Leaf, he enjoys reading, I think Ash simply works better as a softer spoken character in this fic. So yeah, fair warning, Ash will be slightly OOC in this story. Don't worry though, that's the only thing different about him. Ash still has his 'saving people' thing along with his love for Pokémon. This is simply an improved version of Ash.**

 **(3) With this Pokémon world being a bit harsher than canon, parents tend to teach their kids martial arts or some other kind of technique to ensure they stay safe and protected.**

 **So, that's it for this chapter. I hope everyone has enjoyed it and I'll see you all next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: It's been a pretty annoying past few days. Jesus, first the views weren't working, then no one could even log in? Sorry about the delay for the chapter but as you guys all know, it was out of my hands. Anyway, here's the second chapter to the story! There won't be much action yet, considering Ash and Leaf haven't even gotten to Pewter City yet. At that point, the story will DEFINITELY pick up in its pace. Anyway, on with the chapter:**

 **Disclaimer: Although I own the story itself along with my own OC's, everything about the Pokémon franchise itself belongs to Nintendo. In no way, shape, or form am I writing this story to make money or claim Pokémon as my own. Everything within the Pokémon universe belongs to Nintendo.**

* * *

 **Normal POV - Route 1:**

Ash and Leaf were seen walking through the first route of their Pokémon journey, staying silent. They would have joked around and had fun like they normally did, but they simply wanted to keep a look out for any Pokémon. Pikachu, who was sitting upon Ash's shoulder, also looked around slightly cautiously. Although Pikachu had come from near to this route, the Pokémon weren't particularly friendly to anyone. The current state of the Pokémon world was an odd one, with many Pokémon being much more aggressive than normal. And Pikachu knew this well... Too well.

"Ash." Leaf hissed quietly, making the two look towards her. She was creeping towards a bush, looking through with narrowed eyes. Ash followed behind quickly, also peeking through the bush. There, they saw two Pidgey playing in the sandy terrain. To the two teens, they didn't look hostile at all.

"Pika~" Pikachu whined quietly. They may be small, but even Pidgey could cause damage to people. Ash gave him a small smile, understanding his hesitance about the situation. Ash and Leaf exchanged a small look before stealthily walking through the leaves in their way, getting closer to the two Pokémon. Apparently, not stealthy enough as the two Pokémon's eyes immediately swivelled towards them, narrowing. Ash stopped, putting Leaf behind him slightly. He released Larvitar and Pikachu ran down his shoulder. Leaf released Bulbasaur as well. The clearing was silent, Pokémon and trainer alike staring at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Wild Pokémon though, were undomesticated and these two Pidgey apparently didn't have any patience. They sprang into action, targeting Bulbasaur as the 'weak link'.

"Larvitar, get in front of Bulbasaur. Pikachu, use Thundershock on both of them." Ash ordered, not missing a beat. Leaf too, was ready, even with the situation she was in.

"Bulbasaur use Growl. Try to stop them in their tracks." She ordered, much like Ash had. The three Pokémon burst into motion; with Bulbasaur immediately growling and lowering their attacking power. Larvitar stood in front of Bulbasaur, protecting it from the two flying types. Pikachu was like a bullet, flying into the air with great speed and hitting both Pokémon with electricity. To the surprise of everyone apart from the Pidgey, they were able to go through the electric and struck Larvitar. Sadly for them though, Larvitar only gave a small grunt from being hit by a Flying type move, while the two Pidgey screeched in pain, due to Larvitar's hard body.

"While they're down use a weak Thundershock Pikachu. Larvitar, stay in front of Bulbasaur." Ash said quietly. He felt a bit guilty, attacking downed Pokémon, but there was no other way. They could easily escape or even alert more Pokémon to attack the group. These two Pidgey were quite powerful as well, being able to shake of a Thundershock like they did. Pikachu's cheeks sparked slightly before it sent a weak shock to the two Pokémon, finally making them faint. Ash gave Leaf a small smile before tapping the female Pidgey on the head with the Pokeball. Leaf done the same with the other, both catching their very first Pokémon!

"Woo, that was a surprise. They were surprisingly tough. They nearly got up after being hit by a super-effective move and impacting Larvitar's hard skin." Ash said with a small whistle, pulling out his Pokedex. Leaf done the same, giving a small smile towards Bulbasaur. She felt a bit miffed though, due to the fact that Ash had to help her out with the battle. Leaf knew though, that if she battled the two Pidgey by herself, Bulbasaur would have fainted.

"Hmm, okay. Let's see their stats and moves..." Leaf muttered, holding the Pokedex and Pokeball in different hands. She scanned her newly captured Pokémon's stats, happily surprised at the sight.

"Pidgey, the small bid Pokémon. It is docile and prefers to avoid conflict. If disturbed, however, it can ferociously strike back. This Pidgey currently knows the moves Tackle; Grow; Gust and Sand Attack. This Pidgey also has the egg move Air Slash." The Pokedex said in a monotone voice before going silent. Leaf looked at the Pokeball in slight awe. Who would have thought they would capture two wild Pokémon like that? They had obviously had strong parents. Leaf looked towards Ash, seeing him finish scanning his own Pidgey.

"So, what moves does your Pidgey have, Ash?" Leaf asked curiously. He gave her a small smile before explaining that their Pidgey's had the same moves and stats, simply different genders. Then, Ash decided they should scan their own Pokémon.

"Pikachu, the mouse Pokémon. It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it lets loose electric charges from the sacs. This Pikachu currently knows the moves Thundershock; Tail Whip; Growl and Quick Attack. This Pikachu also has the egg move Volt Tackle." Ash gasped quietly hearing this, looking at Pikachu in slight awe. Pikachu rubbed the back of his head, smiling bashfully. Leaf internally squealed at the cuteness of it, being reminded of when Ash does that when he's embarrassed too. Like trainer, like Pokémon.

"Larvitar, the rock body Pokémon. Born deep underground, it comes aboveground and becomes a pupa once it has finished eating the surrounding soil. This Larvitar is also a shiny Pokémon. This Larvitar currently knows the moves Bite; Sandstorm and Rock Slide. This Larvitar also knows the egg moves Assurance; Iron Defence and Stomp." The Pokedex spoke in monotone again, but Ash and Leaf were both gobsmacked. THREE egg moves? They knew Larvitar was strong, but this strong?

"Good job buddy. I always knew you were going to be extremely powerful." Ash said with a proud grin, making Larvitar give him a small thumbs up. Leaf giggled quietly at the sight. Ash gave her a small smile before looking towards Bulbasaur. "Why don't you scan Bulbasaur too? We might as well cover our Pokémon's weaknesses now and teach them new moves if they need it." Ash said with a gentle smile. Leaf smiled back before turning to Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, the seed Pokémon. For some time after its birth, it grows by gaining nourishment from the seed on its back. This Bulbasaur currently knows the moves Tackle; Growl; Leech Seed and Vine Whip. This Bulbasaur also has the egg move Petal Dance." Ash and Leaf's eyes widened, once again, comically at hearing the last part. Petal Dance? That was sure to be helpful for the first Gym. This Bulbasaur must have been bred with two really powerful Venasaur's.

"Looks like our team is balanced quite nicely. We shouldn't have any trouble in the Rock Gym. Although, you'll probably have to teach Larvitar a good Ground or Steel type move." Leaf said with a hand to her chin. These two were a team and had decided what their roles were going to be when they set off. Leaf was excellent at knowing which moves certain Pokémon can learn and which moves would benefit them best. Ash though, knew the best training methods, considering he had trained Larvitar for so long, even before he set out on their journey.

"Hmm, okay. So, which move would you say we should teach him? Maybe train Bulbasaur to get some of its status moves too." Ash said, his own hand on his chin. They had recently allowed the two Pidgey to come out and after a bit of healing, they were back to normal. Thankfully, they understood they were captured now and didn't make loads of fuss about it.

"Brick Break or even Rock Smash would be good enough. Just one move to ensure he can defeat Rock types." Leaf muttered, looking through her Pokedex to see if she had missed anything. Ash gave a small nod before looking at all the Pokémon. While the two were deciding how they should train, the Pokémon started playing an getting to know each other, making Ash smile gently. He clapped his hands together, getting their attention.

"Okay everyone." He called. "We're gonna be doing a bit of training out here in the wild before continuing to the next town. So, we've decided that Larvitar." The Pokémon cried its name upon Ash saying that, making Ash smile gently. "Yes, you Larvitar. We're going to help you learn a good Fighting type move. It'll be needed for the first Gym." Ash said, while Leaf was walking towards them. She had finished looking through her Pokedex and seemed to have come to a decision.

"Okay." She said, making the Pokémon turn their attention to her. "I've decided that it would be best to train with each other. Larvitar, you train with one of the Pidgey. You too Pikachu. Bulbasaur, I want you to train up your Vine Whip. We shouldn't use Petal Dance yet as it may tire you out really quickly." Leaf said, all business. She looked to Ash to see if he was okay with this, and he seemed to be completely okay. So, with a small smile towards him, she looked back towards the Pokémon. "Right, get to it guys." Leaf said with a small clap of her hands. The different Pokémon sprang into action, while Ash and Leaf started making some lunch for themselves and their Pokémon.

* * *

 **30 Minutes Later:**

After a bit of training, the Pokémon were panting lightly but still happy with themselves. They had each started training towards learning new moves, while the Pidgey's had increased some of their resistance towards Rock and Electric type moves. Bulbasaur, meanwhile, had managed to strike faster and harder with its vines. All in all, it had been a good training session. Now though, they were sitting underneath a tree, having some food. The Pokémon were sitting near each other, chatting. Leaf was leaning against Ash's legs, watching the other Pokémon with a smile. Ash was leaning his back against the tree they were sitting beneath with his eyes closed, relaxing. They had only just set off on their journey, but it was still nice to enjoy the weather.

"Hey Ash?" Leaf asked quietly, making him open his eyes. He looked at Leaf to see she was still gazing at the Pokémon with a gentle smile, but she seemed to be paying attention to him as well. He gave her a small smile before looking towards the Pokémon as well.

"What's up?" He asked, just as quietly. He knew how much Leaf hated it when things were too loud and he learned to put a damper on his general loudness and excitable outbursts. The two could still have fun of course, but they also enjoyed it when things were quiet. It was nice to just take the world in and have some moments together rather than just rush things.

"What should we do if we fight each other in the Pokémon League?" She asked, now looking towards him. It surprised him slightly; after all, it was a bit odd to ask that now. It was going to be a while before the two actually did get all of the badges and fight in the League. He still thought about the question, remembering their promise to each other.

"Remember what we promised?" He asked with a smile, making her smile too. "We would fight with all of our heart. If we both get to the finals and it's between us, it will show the world that we're great trainers. If only one of us win, we're still a team. To be a Pokémon Master, you still need friends and companions. Who knows, we could still go to the other regions after we've finished here." Ash said with a small shrug, making Leaf smile brightly. That was exactly what she expected Ash to say. The Pokémon cried their name, catching the trainer's attention. They looked towards where the Pokémon were and saw what appeared to be a hunched over Pokémon. It seemed weak and was probably attacked by some wild Pokémon or something. Leaf gasped, rushing over towards it. Ash followed behind quickly with the Pokémon, making sure that it wouldn't attack Leaf.

"Are you okay?" Leaf asked in slight panic, leaning down. The Pokémon was breathing heavily and gave a small growl towards her. Ash tightened his fist, ready to jump in just in case. The Pokémon though, didn't even seem hostile. It was shivering greatly and seemed to be cowering away slightly when Leaf tried to reach her hand out. Leaf gave a small frown, looking towards Ash with begging eyes. He gave a small sigh before looking through his bag. Leaf, meanwhile, had pulled out her Pokedex. she quickly set it the scan setting, trying to find out why and how it was hurt.

"Nidoran(female) the poison point Pokémon. Small and very docile, it protects itself with its small, poisonous horn when attacked. This Nidoran is currently inflicted with paralysis. This Pokémon is also extremely tired and malnourished. The best course of action is to have it healed at the Pokémon Centre." Leaf read the symptoms out loud to Ash, making him curse quietly. Leaf was rather shocked; Ash only swore when the situation induced panic or he was annoyed or aggravated about something.

"C'mon, we're gonna have to catch her. I was hoping to relax a bit longer, but this Pokémon needs our help. You should catch her Leaf; she would be a good addition to your team." Ash said with a small smile, making Leaf nod. She turned back to see the little Pokémon was trying to stand, so she quickly crouched down to its level.

"Hey Nidoran." Leaf said quietly, making the Pokémon look at her, a small grimace crossing its face when it moved. "I know it hurts. I'm going to have to catch you. It will make it easier and quicker to get you to a Pokémon Centre and you won't be as affected by your health. Is that okay?" She asked gently, pulling out a Pokeball and holding it near to the Pokémon. It looked between Ash and her for a second, before nodding slightly. It felt no contempt or cruelty coming from either of them, so felt like they could be trusted. Leaf, with a gentle smile, tapped the Pokeball against its head. As soon as the Pokeball finished shaking, she stood.

"Good." Ash whispered, smiling. He quickly returned Larvitar and Pidgey, with Pikachu rushing up his shoulder. Leaf also returned Bulbasaur and her Pidgey before turning to him. They gave each other a small nod before rushing to Viridian City, without saying another word. Nidoran seemed in pretty bad shape and the soon they got her healed, the better.

* * *

 **Normal POV - Viridian City:**

The two trainers rushed towards the city entrance, being stopped in their tracks by an Officer Jenny.

"Halt!" She ordered, making the two stop in their tracks, looking at her in slight panic. They wanted to get to the Pokémon Centre as soon as they possibly could, as they didn't want the poor Pokémon to suffer. So, when they were stopped, it was quite aggravating for Ash. "What is the rush, you two?" She asked, giving the two a critical eye.

"We were relaxing out in Route 1 when we saw an injured Nidoran. We wanted to get to the Pokémon Centre quickly, so we ran all the way here." Leaf said with a slight huff, trying to catch her breath. Luckily, the two were very athletic from their training with Red and able to run extremely long distances. Officer Jenny looked at them both with narrowed eyes for a second before coming to a decision.

"Do you have ID to show me who you are and you're telling the truth?" She asked. Ash and Leaf seemed to think for a second before quickly pulling out their Pokedex, handing them to her. She looked through both, nodding to herself. She gave them both an apologetic smile before handing their Pokedex back to them. "I'm sorry about that. There have been signs of criminals her recently and we need to ensure they're captured. It was a male and female with a small Pokémon, so naturally, I thought it was you two." Ash and Leaf nodded, understanding why she would suspect them. They fit the description well although they had only just come here. "I know, I'll give you a lift to the Pokémon Centre. It will be quicker that way and you can get your Pokémon healed." She said with a small smile, with the two agreeing.

Soon, they had made it to the Pokémon Centre, rushing inside and handing their Pokémon to Nurse Joy. The two trainers were able to finally relax, glad that their Pokémon would be healed and okay. Especially Nidoran. The two trainers were still rather worried about the little Pokémon; it was in bad shape and they feared Nurse Joy would be unable to help her.

"You think she'll be okay, Ash?" Leaf asked quietly, looking towards the room where the nurse had brought the Pokémon, with a small frown on her face. Ash also had a small frown, remembering the state Nidoran was in. His father wasn't joking when he said wild Pokémon were getting a lot more aggressive. In these past few years, Pokémon were getting increasingly angry and aggressive towards everything, even each other, to the point of leaving wild Pokémon on the verge of death! The Nidoran was a good example of that.

"Nurse Joy is great. She'll be sure to save her." Ash said gently, putting an arm around Leaf's shoulders and hugging her slightly. Leaf sighed quietly, giving Ash a thankful smile. It was going to be a long day for the two trainers.

* * *

 **Normal POV - ?:**

A tall, slim man was seen walking through a darkened hallway. He exuded a sense of confidence and slight disgust at the sight of the other people around him. They saluted immediately as he passed, while he simply gave a small incline of his head towards them.

"Mr. Giovanni sir!" A young voice called, running towards the now identified man. Giovanni turned to the young grunt with narrowed eyes, ready to berate him for interrupting his peace, when he saw the look on their face.

"What is it?" His voice was silky and made others around him shiver lightly. Their boss may have not been perfect in Pokémon battles, but he made up for it in intimidation and wealth. If he wanted someone dead, it could easily be done. So, seeing one of his grunt's like this made him alert.

"Sir, we have recently discovered a Ketchum has left Pallet Town." His eyes tightened in barely restrained fury, remembering that boy, Red Ketchum, constantly foiling his plans. "There's more sir." Giovanni turned to the grunt with narrowed eyes.

"Spit it out then, boy. Tell me everything." Giovanni said menacingly.

"He's with a girl, that looks like Ms. Green." He said quietly, causing Giovanni's eyes to twitch in annoyance. That girl was also a thorn in his side. "Along with these two, there are anther four trainers seen to have left Pallet Town. Ketchum and Green have managed to capture some wild Pokémon already, including that Nidoran you had specially bred." He said quietly. Giovanni grinded his teeth together, hearing the last part. That Nidoran would be powerful if it managed to evolve. He had it bred from his Nidoking and Nidoqueen after all.

"Everyone." Giovanni called, making other grunts stop what they were doing. "I'm ordering you all to keep an eye on this group of trainers while you're doing your regular work. They can be left... For now. If they get too powerful, I will personally crush them when the time comes. That is all, grunts. Continue with your work." With that, Giovanni strode to his office, not looking back. This was bound to cause problems for him, and he wasn't particularly happy about it.

"Giovanni sir." He heard outside his door, with someone knocking lightly. Giovanni gave a small sigh.

"Enter." He called, making the person outside open the door and come in silently. he perked up, seeing his most successful Admin, Domino. She seemed to be carrying papers with her, and if the dark smirk was anything to go by, they were bound to be... Helpful for the organisation. "I've heard about the little 'problem' with some new trainers. I had some grunts check Ketchum's and Green's background. We've already found this." She said with a smirk, handing over the paper's she was holding. After only one glance, Giovanni was already slightly surprised.

"This is true?" He asked, feeling rather elated. With a simple nod, Domino made Giovanni a very happy man. "Excellent work. Keep at it, Domino. You and the grunts who found this will be sure to get a raise. Make sure to continue searching. If we find more information like this, those children will be unable to do anything." Giovanni said, laughing cruelly. With a small smirk, Domino quickly left the room, happy to help her boss so much. Giovanni sat back against his chair, petting Persian silently. "I won't let it happen again. If you interfere with our plans like your father did, boy, you'll be in for a world of hurt." Giovanni said with a dark smirk, with Persian cackling its name lightly.

* * *

 **AN: Woo, got the chapter finished. I started it yesterday, but was unable to get it all finished in the same day. Anyway, hope you like the foreshadowing at the end there! What could Giovanni possibly have planned for Ash and Leaf? What was the information Domino found? You'll have to wait to find out ;) Anyway, like with my other story, I'll be replying to reviews. So, here we go:**

 **Mrlynum: Thank you, glad you enjoyed the first chapter! Yes, Ash and Leaf will both make some good friends on their journey; don't worry, they won't be travelling with anyone for long. I'm still debating whether to have Brock travel with them or not, what do you guys think? Yep, they do need plenty of time alone to make their relationship better.**

 **Ky Karno: Thank you! Glad you think the story is cool so far. I have lots of ideas for what I will be doing. Yep, having Ash be more mature just makes the overall story better, rather than having him 'reset' like the creators do with every new region. Hope I don't disappoint you (or anyone else) with the story!**

 **WhiteEagle1985: Ah, you're writing a story like this? Yes, I've thought about an idea like this for a while and it just seemed perfect for me. Most fics don't have Ash's dad there with him, nor do many full storied have Furthershipping, so I decided that this would be a great second story to do.**

 **Branstar50: Glad you enjoyed the chapter :D**

 **MostAdvanced: Weekly, like my other story. It will be Monday's/Tuesday's for Betrayal At Its Worst, while it will be Wednesday's/Thursday's for this story. Sadly, I will have less time to write after next Tuesday, as I will be starting college once again. Hmm, I honestly don't know if I'll be using OC's in this story. Not for a while at the very least. I'll be sure to PM you though, if I change my mind.**

 **TravelingMan93: Glad you're enjoying it so far! Yep, I try to be original whenever I start a new story. I have read many like this one, with different pairings, and almost NONE have Red as Ash's very, nor actually there for him, rather than on Mt. Silver. Yep, I really like the AshxLeaf pairing and I'm sad that there are so little fics with them. Sorry about the long wait, but Fanfiction has been down for about 2 days and my schedule is one update a week.**

 **That's it for the reviews! Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and be sure to check out the next one next week! The story is sure to pick up in action soon and after Pewter City, the actual story will really begin. So, I'll see you next time. Buh-bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry guys, shorter chapters from now on. Since starting back at college, I've noticed how little time I have now compared to summer, to do anything pretty much. Since I'll be at college till 5pm every day and I usually start at 9 in the morning, I'm a bit short for time, honestly. Also, it takes longer than an hour to get to college, so you can see how little time I really have. Anyway, enough about college. From this point onward, the chapters are only going to be around 2000 words, which is something I didn't actually want to do. Due to this, battles will probably take up a whole chapter each time I write one, but it's all good. Anyway, enough about that, on with the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Although I own the story itself along with my own OC's, everything about the Pokémon franchise itself belongs to Nintendo. In no way, shape, or form am I writing this story to make money or claim Pokémon as my own. Everything within the Pokémon universe belongs to Nintendo.**

* * *

 **Normal POV - Pokémon Centre:**

It was going to be a long night. The two trainers knew this quite well. They had only been on their journey for a day and already, things were quite hectic. They didn't expect to already have this many Pokémon upon the start of their journey. Along with that, is the fact that they noticed how closer they already seemed to get. They were honestly glad that they just decided to travel together without anyone else, as they enjoyed their alone time greatly. Even if the two wouldn't admit that to each other.

"Could Leaf Green and Ash Ketchum come to the front desk? Your Pokémon have been healed." Nurse Joy said over the loud speakers, making the two trainers stand quickly. They hurried over to the counter to see the brightly smiling face of Nurse Joy; which calmed their hearts slightly.

"How are the Pokémon doing? Are they all healthy? What about Nidoran?" Ash asked quickly, making Leaf smile lightly. Ash cared about all Pokémon, even if they weren't his own. Leaf knew what Ash was like, he would risk his own life to ensure that his Pokémon were okay.

"Yes, how's Nidoran doing? She looked really hurt when we first saw her." Leaf said worriedly. The smiling face of Nurse Joy did calm her slightly, but Leaf was still scared for the poor Pokémon. It had obviously been attacked by wild Pokémon, to the point of near death even, which was surprising. Pokémon had never been this aggressive towards other Pokémon, even if they weren't domesticated.

"Everything is fine now." They both gave a sigh of relief. "Nidoran was in a bad state but she will be okay now. I'm simply baffled at the state she was brought in. You said that it was wild Pokémon, correct?" Nurse Joy asked the two of them. They were about to say yes, but they didn't realise earlier that it could very well have been a trainer.

"Now that I think about it." Ash started, making the two look towards him. "We don't actually know the full story here. It could very well have been a trainer that damaged her so much. Although that doesn't make much sense, as they probably would have captured Nidoran. I can't think of a wild Pokémon putting another in a state like this." Ash stated, putting a hand on his chin in thought. Leaf nodded silently, also thinking about what could have caused this. What they didn't realise though, was that they were about to find out in a very... Climatic way.

There was a small explosion above them, making Ash rush in front of Leaf, Pokeball's already in hand and Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. Leaf blinked slightly, surprised at the sudden burst of speed he had just shown. She immediately looked up though, upon hearing a small whirring noise and the sound of a man and woman's laughter.

(You all know the Team Rocket theme song, so I'll just skip this.)

"Really?" Ash asked, looking at the two of them like they were crazy. Leaf meanwhile, was holding giggles back. They seemed to give off a slight sense of danger, but the small show they had just done made them seem much less dangerous. "Okay then. What do you want here?" Ash asked, looking at them with a bored expression. Leaf couldn't hold her laughs in as she watched the two Rocket member's bluster and shout at Ash.

"Shut up kid! We've been sent here by someone twice the person that you are. I don't see why though. You seem to be all talk and no skill." The man, James said, making Leaf's eyes narrow lightly. She hated people that dissed Ash and his skill in battle. She also knew how Ash got when people insulted him and his friends.

"Do you even know me?" Ash asked quietly, making Leaf flinch slightly. She remembered when Ash was like this with Gary. It wasn't very pretty. Apparently, these two grunts were either very ballsy or stupid. They seemed completely unbothered about the look on Ash's face and were simply laughing to themselves. "So, you two are some simple grunts huh? You don't seem like much yourselves." Ash said, a small smirk on his face. Leaf sighed quietly, picking up her own Pokeballs. This just had to happen, huh?

"Right, come on out Bulbasaur." Leaf threw her Pokeball up in the air, releasing the small Pokémon. It gave a small cry of its name, before glaring at Jessie and James. Ash gave a small smile before Pikachu immediately ran off his shoulder.

"Come out Koffing/ Ekans!" James and Jessie cried respectively, throwing their own Pokeballs in the air. Ash and Leaf quickly brought out their Pokedex's, scanning the two Pokémon.

"Ekans, the snake Pokémon. Moving silently and stealthily, it eats the eggs of birds, such as Pidgey and Spearow, whole." The Pokedex stated, making the Ash and Leaf nod silently before turning to Koffing.

"Koffing, the toxic gas Pokémon. Lighter-than-air gases in its body keep it aloft. The gases not only smell, they are also explosive." The two put their Pokedex's away before looking back at the two enemy Pokémon. This was the first time they had actually been in a battle; it was a double battle too!

"You ready for this, Leaf?" Ash asked quietly, sending a small smile her way. She grinned back, turning to her Pokémon. The seemed ready and raring to go, so she decided to start the battle off.

"Use Growl." She stated simply. While the two Rockets were laughing about an attack like that, Ash seemed to trust her. She obviously had a plan in mind so Ash decided to go along with it.

"Use Quick Attack to get close to them." Ash ordered, with Pikachu immediately zooming towards the two.

"Dodge." Jessie and James ordered at the same time, seemingly calm. The two Pokémon were able to easily dodge, surprising Ash. He thought that these two were going to be terrible trainers, although they seemed to actually know what they were doing. "Now use Bite." Jessie ordered. Ekans rushed towards Pikachu, opening its jaw.

"Use Smog, Koffing." James also ordered, with his Pokémon spewing out disgusting smelling gas. They seemed to have trained a lot together and were pretty good in double battles.

"Keep calm Pikachu." Ash whispered, making his Pokémon stop panicking. "Wait for Ekans to appear. Keep your ears open and stay calm. Don't rush after it in the smog." Ash ordered, making his Pokémon nod. The worst thing to do in a situation like this was to get lost in all of the smog. It was already hard enough to see things.

"Use Vine Whip. Swing them around to get rid of some of the smog." Leaf ordered quickly, making Bulbasaur cry its name quietly. It immediately swung its vines around, managing to blow some of the smog away. James cursed quietly, annoyed that his usual strategy was demolished.

"Quick Pikachu, Thundershock into Koffing's craters!" Ash ordered quickly, upon catching sight of the two enemy Pokémon. Pikachu rushed into action, sending the bolts of lightning towards Koffing. It seemed to hover in the air for a moment before falling flat on its face. Ash's eyes were wide, surprised at how quickly the Pokémon fainted. Did Pikachu put too much power into the move? Or were these two actually just bad battlers?

"Bulbasaur throw your vines around Evans neck! Throw it into the wall!" Leaf ordered quickly, making her Pokémon nod. With a small grunt, Bulbasaur put Ekans into a choke-hold with its vines, throwing it against the wall. Ekans seemed to be much stronger than Koffing had though, as it quickly got back up.

"Go Wobbuffet!" Ash looked back at James in shock, as he released another Pokémon. Did they both have more than one Pokémon each? Seeing the enemy Pokémon now though, Ash knew he would have a bit more trouble in defeating them. Even though he didn't know too much about this species of Pokémon, he knew they were defensive and were good with moves like Counter. With this thought in mind, Ash decided to switch out.

"Okay, come back Pikachu. Come on out Larvitar." Ash shouted, throwing his Pokeball forward. The small Pokémon appeared with a happy cry of its name, looking at the enemy Pokémon with narrowed eyes. Leaf and Jessie were still having their Pokémon throw hits at each other; Jessie was obviously the stronger trainer within this duo. Ash looked at the Meowth, watching as it was trying to sneak around to get behind Leaf and himself. It was obvious what the sneaky Pokémon was trying to do, so Ash decided to send out another Pokémon that he knew would be able to keep the Meowth away from them. "Pikachu, keep that Meowth from getting too close." Ash whispered, making Pikachu rush back off his shoulder. With a small 'Pika', Pikachu threw its body into Meowth; Ash knew that Pikachu wouldn't have trouble battling the Pokémon without needing commands.

"Finish it off Bulbasaur, use Tackle." Leaf ordered, making Bulbasaur rush into Ekans. With a small hiss, Ekans fainted. Jessie cursed, returning her Pokémon before pulling out a final Pokeball. Before she could release her Pokémon however, the sound of sirens immediately reached her ears. With a quick glare at the two, she quickly picked Meowth up by the scruff of its neck. She turned back to Jame's, telling him with her eyes that they had to get out of there. With a quick look at the two other trainer's, the Rocket's immediately left through a door to the back of the Centre, Ash and Leaf hot on their tails. With these two around, there would be a lot of danger for regular trainers, as they seemed to not care about people or Pokémon. They had attacked them without pause in a Pokémon Centre, so they were obviously dangerous.

"Come on, we can't let them get away." Ash huffed, starting to run out of breath. Leaf nodded, starting to speed up. They quickly got outside of the Pokémon Centre, watching as the two rushed over to a Meowth balloon. Upon seeing the two there, the Rocket's immediately narrowed their eyes and started pulling Pokeball's to battle again, before seeing a Growlithe rush out from behind Ash and Leaf.

"This is Officer Jenny. Get out of the balloon and come quietly!" She shouted, running out from the door Ash and Leaf had come from. Upon seeing the police here, the Rocket's decided that their work was done and needed to get away quickly.

"We'll remember this, kids. You're enemies of Team Rocket now. Don't think you won't see us again. Keep defying us, and you'll soon regret it." With that said, the balloon rose in the air and quickly left. Officer Jenny tried to take it down with her Growlithe, but the two Rocket's simply had Wobbuffet take the attacks or throw them back. So, they couldn't do anything and just had to watch as the two managed to get away.

"Damn." Ash muttered, watching the small shape of balloon disappearing. "They're gonna just cause more problems. We'll need to be more careful from now on." Ash said with a small sigh, looking towards Leaf. She had been silent since they left, making Ash worry slightly. She didn't have trouble against them and wasn't particularly scared of people like them, so it scared him slightly to see her so quiet.

"Follow me." Officer Jenny said, pointing towards the door they came out of. With a quick nod, they immediately headed back towards the Pokémon Centre, simply wanting to be able to rest now. They knew though, that they would have to talk to Jenny about what had just happened and they would have to explain things in detail. They were correct earlier. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

 **30 Minutes Later:**

After describing everything they could think of; the people, Pokémon and the battle they had, Ash and Leaf were finally able to retire for the night. Sadly, Officer Jenny was unable to do too much, since they were already long gone and there wasn't much information about the two. So, with this is mind, Ash and Leaf they would have to be extremely careful about things from now on. In the meantime however...

"Leaf?" Ash asked quietly, upon sitting down on the bed in their shared room. Thankfully, there were two beds to ensure there would be no... Awkward situations. Leaf was humming quietly; she didn't seem as bothered about things as she did earlier, but Ash knew she was simply hiding it. With this thought in mind, Ash stood quickly and sat down on her bed, next to her. She looked at him curiously, but he could see some slight annoyance in her eyes. "Now, do you wanna tell me what's wrong?" He asked gently. Leaf could be quite scary when she was angry, and Ash really didn't want something like that to actually happen.

"I hate how you can always do that..." Leaf muttered quietly in exasperation, making Ash grin at her. "It's just the things they said. Team Rocket have been watching us. They'll be after us too. That kinda frightens me, honestly." Leaf whispered, making Ash frown lightly. He understood where she was coming from saying that. Some of the things those two Rocket's said was a means for concern. Seeing her starting to tear up slightly, Ash quickly sat down next to her and hugged her close to him. "Thanks Ash." She whispered, smiling gently. He smiled back at her, leaning back against the bed. She fell backwards with him, laying her head on his shoulder. Luckily for the two, they had shared a bed many times before so this wasn't exactly too embarrassing; even though it had been a couple of years since they had done so.

"You okay, Leaf?" Ash asked quietly, but got no response. He looked down at her face to see that she had fallen asleep already. She always seemed to do that, fall asleep almost immediately when they were like this. It made Ash's chest feel much lighter, seeing how relaxed she was around him. He knew now, that he wouldn't actually be sleeping in his own bed tonight. That didn't bother him though.

* * *

AN: Right, that's it for this chapter. As I've said in the first AN, chapters may not be released weekly anymore. If college start's to get too much, then I will have to put my stories up for adoption. I really don't want to do anything like that; although college can get really hectic as I start doing more work. I've already had 2 assignments set this first week, so I'll have to ensure that I spend the correct amount of time doing work and writing chapters for the stories. Anyway, no more review responses from now on, sorry guys. It's already took me two days to do this chapter and I need to get chapter 18 done for Betrayal at Its Worst, so I won't be doing responses anymore. Sorry!


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